We will "accelerate the application of biomedical technology" (cf. NIBIB mission) by extending the collocated virtual reality and haptic techniques pioneered by us in our simulation of a common form of brain surgery, ventriculostomy, to a new simulator for a common step of spinal surgery, pedicle screw placement. We will help "improve health" by evaluating the spine surgery simulator for its realism and its effectiveness in teaching. [unreadable] The following applied research, fundamental research and evaluation tasks are proposed: [unreadable] Applied Research: [unreadable] 1. Create a three-dimensional model of the lumbar spine based on real patient CT data. [unreadable] 2. Produce a simulation of haptic force feedback to the surgeon's hand upon the insertion of a probe or similar instrument through human tissue or bone of different mechanical properties. [unreadable] 3. Simulate real-time bone volume removal or compression in probing of a screw hole. Couple accurate haptic force feedback with an after-the-fact shaded cylindrical hole model using a vertex shader. [unreadable] 4. Model the torque feedback from the screw hole tapping and manual screw insertion using a six degree of freedom (DOF) haptic robot (previous applications involved only a 3 DOF robot). [unreadable] 5. Create realistic 3D haptic and visual representations of the surgical spinal exposures in open surgery and mini-open surgery. Limit operating space through the tube retractor in the mini-open approach. Fundamental Research: [unreadable] 6. Surface Deformation Model. Develop a new model for the deformability of skin over the spine and apply it to the insertion of pedicle screws through the skin in minimally invasive surgery. [unreadable] 7. Volumetric modeling. Investigate a new method for the direct conversion of MRI data into 3D anatomical models that does not require the manual segmentation of CT scans. [unreadable] 8. Volume removal. Simulate real-time volume removal of bone during cutting or drilling operations. Evaluation Tasks: [unreadable] 9. Simulator. Grade students on simulator and judge its effectiveness by student improvement. [unreadable] PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: We will "accelerate the application of biomedical technology" by extending the collocated virtual reality and haptic techniques pioneered by us in our simulation of a common form of brain surgery, ventriculostomy, to a new simulator for a common step of spinal surgery, pedicle screw placement. We will help 'improve health" by evaluating the spine surgery simulator for its realism and its effectiveness in teaching. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]